"Only for 2d Anti-Dreamcast fans...!"

Only for 2d anti-Dreamcast fans! Somehow they're the only demographic I can think of who are willing to play this poor remake of a 2 year old game EXTENSIVELY. No 2d fan with a DC will play this for very long. And only someone VERY determined not to fork down 50 dollars for a DC and has to really LIKE 2d fighters (which is almost an oxymoron considering how many 2d fighters are on DC) will be playing this for more than an hour...financial constraints not included...

When I first heard about this game, I thought Capcom might plan a little extra or two which somehow creeps into ports of their older games. Sadly, there seems to be none...and for all the DC owners with CVSPro interested in this port, I suggest you buy something else

Graphics:

Compared to SFAlpha 3 on the PSX, it's awful. The animation slows down during some supers. It's very apparent when you perform an SNK-esque multi-hitting DM like King's Illusion Dance. When you've played CVS2 or CVS on DC/Arcade/PS2, you'll immediately notice that King's hit tempo is not as exact as its former incarnations. It's not as apparent with the other supers but if you've played other and more perfect versions of the CVS series, you can just sense the slowdown. It has a slowness and choppiness comparable to Capcom's awful conversions of the vs. games for PSX. (with the exception of Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter. That one was pretty good!)

Loading time between character matches are as long as KOF 99 for the PSX. Judging from other PSX 2d fighters, it's not bad but it does splice apart one very interesting new stage song which I'll be talking about later.

There is a LOT of FMV's, both ending and the game intros both lifted from the DC/Arcade versions. If your PSX is badly aligned or has a lens problem, prepare for a bout of the ''skippies.'' I am not sure if the background music is directly streamed from the CD but if it is, then it would be better to turn down the sound in the above situation.

Other changes from the DC version: The finest KO screen effect on the DC has been downgraded to a shining highly pixilated disco-like strobe effect. Not pretty! Background intros have been removed and there is no longer any snowfall in Nakoruru's stage!

The Capcom and SNK logos, life bars, super meters, combo meters and finisher banners in the fight screens look horrendously UGLY! Highly pixilated, BIG gigantic pixels in the fonts make the whole setup looks like you're playing with an SNES!

Control:

Before I bought this, I was happily playing KOF 98 on PSX and winning through hardest difficulty on Extra mode with no continues. But when I slapped on this title, I felt like I was struggling with the controls trying to bring out specials and supers. The biggest change was Chun-Li. In previous Capcom SF fighters, I could slap silly any opponent by bringing out Chun-Li's lightning kicks in a flash just by pressing the light and strong kicks alternately in a fast rhythm. However, when I tried it in PSX Pro, it came out delayed...as if the game was having trouble trying to read my fast pressing. Strangely, EX King's ''Double Strike'' Super seemed to be easier here than in the DC but it could be due to the PSX's more centered joypad.

Gameplay:

Mercifully, the AI is comparable to the DC and arcade versions. Yes it IS a plus because in my experience, AI has sometimes been DOWNGRADED with some PSX versions being ridiculously easy compared to their arcade counterparts. Marvel vs. Capcom, Street Fighter Alpha 2 and Super SFIIX from Street Fighter Collection are prime examples!

However, considering how easy the arcade version of CVS was, it might not be that much of a plus...

Music/Sound:

I can't judge this completely since I haven't determined if the music is streamed from the CD or MIDI. (If it was the former, definitely a downgrade) However, I should mention that if you set the background music to original and reach the burning highway stage, the Street Fighter theme has been changed. It now utilizes the neat remixed SF theme from the Capcom Fan disk that came with the first release of CVS2. Rather than playing the World Warrior theme over and over again, The new BGM is basically a blend of themes from Street Fighter: World Warrior, Super Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter IIX, all Alphas from 1 to 3 and all three incarnations of Street Fighter III. It's too bad there's no way to listen to it completely aside from training and options mode since the music restarts between character loads.

As for sound, there's something about it that gives me an impression of characters and sound effects coming through a distant loudspeaker.

Miscellaneous:

Price mode Price Mode Price Mode! That was the one thing that made me buy this port hoping it was the ''something'' extra that would justify purchasing this game. Unfortunately, it was the same thing as the secret shop in CVS1. Unlike CVSPro for the DC, you have to buy everything through vs. points acquired in Arcade and training. However, unlike the ridiculously overpriced items of the Secret Shop in CVS1, everything is dirt cheap in the PSX version. I managed to unlock an EX character just by spending 5+ minutes of training. Akuma, Morrigan and Nakoruru, characters that took MONTHS of playing to unlock in the original CVS1 is cheap here at 300 points! Easily unlockable just by winning one game!

The game also includes a character art gallery showing the character portraits in it's not-so-full glory. (The legs are chopped off!) Not bad but if you're one of the lucky few with the Capcom Fan Disk, it's nothing you haven't seen before.

Overall:

Before this game was released, hopelessly silly optimistic people kept saying this game was gonna be great...like Street Fighter Alpha 3 for PSX. Well, sorry to burst your bubble but it's NOT! Too much choppiness, ugly presentation...I was almost hoping something can be salvaged...

Oh yes, well at least it plays like CVSPro, there's no denying that, that is, if you can stand the slowdown!